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Asda Worst Offender In Poison Chicken Testing As Three-Quarters Of Shop-Bought Birds Test Positive For Campylobacter

Don't Read This If You're About To Eat Shop-Bought Chicken...
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Nearly three-quarters of fresh shop-bought chickens have tested positive for food poisoning bug campylobacter and for the second year running Asda is the worst offender, a survey has revealed.

Some 19% of the chickens in the year-long Food Standards Agency survey contained the highest rate of the bug, which affects an estimated 280,000 people a year.

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Campylobacter contamination can cause intestinal infections

The testing, which ended in February, looked at the prevalence and levels of campylobacter contamination on fresh whole chilled chickens and their packaging, and revealed that Asda was the worst offender - a position it also held last year.

The chain had a higher-than-average incidence of chicken contaminated at the highest level, while Tesco was the only supermarket to fall below the industry average.

The FSA's cumulative results from the first three quarters of the survey show that the overall rate of contamination has stalled at 73% since February but risen from 70% in November and 59% in August.

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The full survey results which show that Asda was the worst offender

A second year of testing will begin this summer to measure the impact of interventions being introduced by the industry to tackle contamination.

More than 4,000 samples of fresh whole chickens and packaging from large UK retail outlets and smaller independent stores and butchers were tested as part of the survey.

While none of the major retailers hit industry targets during the FSA investigation, the food watchdog said internal case studies by Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, the Co-op and Waitrose based on more recent samples found a fall in contamination levels.

FSA director of policy Steve Wearne said: "I want to challenge those retailers who haven't yet demonstrated the impact that M&S, Morrisons, the Co-op and Waitrose are having on reducing campylobacter on chickens on their shelves.

SEE ALSO

Asda Sold Most Chickens Infected With Deadly Food Poisoning Bug Campylobacter, FSA Report Reveals

Bag Your Chicken And Separate From Other Foods To Prevent Food Poisoning, Warn Officials

Freezing Chicken Could Reduce Risk Of Food Poisoning Bug Campylobacter

"We expect all retailers and processors to be achieving the reductions we have seen in these retailers' figures - that's the only way we will meet the target we all signed up to.

'"We are going to run this survey for a second year and will again look at campylobacter levels on chickens at retail sale. I hope that we will be able to see the results from the actions taken by the four retailers mentioned above and others come through and produce much lower figures for the incidence of campylobacter on the chicken we buy."

Asda had the highest rate of contamination in its fresh whole chickens at 80%, followed by Co-Op with 78%, Morrison's with 76%, Waitrose with 74%, and Tesco and Marks and Spencer with 67%.

Individual figures for Lidl, Aldi and Iceland are not individually available because their market share was not considered large enough, based on 2010 retail figures.

Their results were instead reported together with those from independent butchers and convenience stores, reaching 73%.

How To Avoid Food Poisoning
Know The Symptoms(01 of22)
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If you know the common symptoms of food-related illnesses, you can receive treatment more quickly, which can be particularly important if you contract one of the more dangerous illnesses. According to Health Canada, the most common symptoms of food poisoning are stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. If you have any of these symptoms, or suspect that you have contracted a food-borne illness, talk to your doctor.
Learn Your Risk Level(02 of22)
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Anybody can get food poisoning but there are some groups of people who are at particular risk of serious illness, or even death, if they contract a food-borne illness. Children younger than five, adults older than 60, pregnant women, and people with a compromised immune system are particularly at risk from food poisoning.
Clean, Clean, Clean(03 of22)
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Food safety involves more than just the food itself. It’s important to keep your preparation surfaces and tools clean as well. Wash your counters, cutting boards, dishes, and prep tools in hot soapy water, and wash anything used to touch raw foods before using them in any other prep.
Wash Your Hands(04 of22)
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Make sure you wash your hands often while cooking and handling food, with soap and warm water. If soap or water aren’t available, you can sanitize your hands with an alcohol-based solution. In particular, make sure you lather up after handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood. And if you handle pets, change diapers, or use the bathroom, wash well before you touch the food again.
Use Different Cutting Boards(05 of22)
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It’s a good idea to have separate cutting boards for meat and for vegetables and bread in order to prevent cross contamination, advises Home Safety, but if you don’t maintain separate boards make sure you wash them well after using them for raw meat, poultry, or seafood or unwashed produce. You can sanitize your cutting boards with a mild bleach solution.
Clean Produce(06 of22)
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It may seem harmless, but produce can transmit food-borne illnesses as well, particularly when it’s eaten uncooked. Wash under running water instead of soaking produce in the sink to avoid transferring bacteria from your sink to your food. Because they grow close to the ground, melons have been associated with food poisoning; clean the outside of watermelon or any other melons you serve before cutting or serving.
Danger Zone!(07 of22)
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Know the temperature danger zone for food, and keep yours out of it. The zone — between 4C (40°F) and 60C (140°F) — is the temperature where bacteria can grow more quickly. Your fridge should always be kept below 4°C. If you will have food outside in warm temperatures, take measures to keep it out of that zone by placing cold foods like egg salad in a cooler or using iced dishes, and keeping foods that should be hot at a temperature higher than 60°C. Food shouldn’t be kept at room temperature (or higher) outside for more than an hour on hot days, and try to keep your dishes out of the sun.
Store Meat Properly(08 of22)
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Store raw meat in your fridge in containers to keep them separate from other foods and prevent their juices from contaminating your fridge with bacteria. Raw meat, poultry, and seafood should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours, and freeze raw meat if you don’t plan to use it within two or three days after purchase. If you are marinading meat, do so in your fridge and not on the counter, and discard any leftover marinade that came into contact with raw meat.
Thaw Correctly(09 of22)
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Don’t leave raw meat, poultry, or seafood in the sink to thaw — remember, room temperature is within that danger zone that encourages speedy bacteria growth. Instead, thaw in the fridge or microwave, suggests Real Simple, and cook defrosted food as soon as possible.
Cook Properly(10 of22)
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If you’re barbecuing, don’t put your cooked meat, poultry, or fish on the same plate used to bring the raw meat outside — use separate plates for raw and cooked food.
Use A Meat Thermometer(11 of22)
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Checking the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and seafood can help to ensure that your food is cooked through and to the correct temperature — which is important because heat kills bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and Listeria. Check the temperature at the thickest part of each piece, and avoid bone. When you’re checking hamburger patties, insert the thermometer into the side all the way to the middle.
Dealing With Leftovers(12 of22)
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Picnics and barbecues often leave the host and guests with delicious leftovers. Some food is even better the next day, but not if it’s been harbouring harmful bacteria overnight. Refrigerate or freeze all leftovers within two hours to prevent bacteria growth, eat leftovers within two to four days, and reheat hot foods to at least 74°C. Storing leftovers in a shallow container helps them to cool quickly and evenly, reducing the risk that harmful bacteria will grow.
When In Doubt, Throw It Out(13 of22)
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You can’t always tell a food is unsafe by looking at it, smelling it, or tasting it. If you aren’t sure if it’s safe, or if it’s been left out for more than two hours, toss it — it’s not worth the risk.
NEXT: Types Of Food Poisoning To Know(14 of22)
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Campylobacter Enteritis(15 of22)
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A common bacterial infection producing severe gastrointestinal upset that can hang around as long as two weeks. It's rarely fatal in healthy people.The culprits: Improperly slaughtered or processed meat not thoroughly cooked, contaminated vegetables, milk or water. Pets can also shed the bacteria through their "business."What it feels like: You'd pay closer attention to the flulike symptoms (fever, aches and pains) if you weren't running to the bathroom every 15 minutes of your life.Maybe you shouldn't have: Plucked that mass-processed pack of pork chops out of the "manager's special" bin. Also, if you really need to be told, leave seagulls alone. They're neither friendly nor tasty and are known to harbor higher concentrations of the bacteria. Common sense and decent kitchen cleanliness should protect you from needless downfall. Related: Are These 5 Foods Trying To Kill You?Photo via Flickr user StuartWebster (credit:Flickr: StuartWebster)
Cholera(16 of22)
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Contrary to what literature might have you believe, there will be no love in the time of cholera, only misery, woe and lots of diarrhea.The culprits: Contaminated water and eating raw or undercooked seafood that was hanging out in that water.What it feels like: Being slowly dried in a dehydrator that looks surprisingly like your bathroom while your abdomen is squeezed by a giant godlike fist. You might just want to set up shop in there for a spell, the toxin in the cholera bacteria causes any water in your body to "release." Replenish as you might, it likely won't stay in there very long. Keep at it diligently, though, and you'll be fine in about a week.Maybe you shouldn't have: Splashed around in a stagnant portion of the Meekong Delta for so long, or eaten those Mexican oysters with quite as much gusto.Photo via Flickr user philosophygeek (credit:Flickr: philosophygeek)
E. Coli Enteritis(17 of22)
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The black sheep of the food poisoning world, E. coli's the one with a strain that'll actually kill you regardless of treatment attempts. How subversive.The culprits: Escherichia coli, or E. for short, has one incredibly powerful strain: O157:H7, although other related strains can cause infection as well. This bacterium is found in mass-processed ground beef and on vegetables that were improperly cleaned or handled by contaminated fingers. What it feels like: You've been stabbed in the colon, which would explain the crippling cramps and other things that might happen if one were actually stabbed in the colon, including blood. Not that there's a "better" food poisoning to get, but this is one you really want to avoid.Maybe you shouldn't have: Eaten that rare burger of questionable origin while chugging raw milk in that crazy crowded public pool, all of which have been known to harbor the bacteria. Related: Update: New E. Coli Culprit In EuropePhoto via Flickr user khawkins04 (credit:Flickr: khawkins04)
Ciguatera (Fish Poisoning)(18 of22)
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An incurable disease caused by eating fish contaminated by coral algae toxins. A real doozy, with an estimated 50,000 cases each year. The culprits: Ciguatera is limited to fish of tropical origin. It's impossible to detect by seafood processors, and can't be killed by cooking or freezing. Live in fear of grouper, or continue on with your life with relatively minimal risk.What it feels like: At first, typical food poisoning symptoms may present, but the bigger problem with ciguatera is its severe and often irreversible neurological effects. These can include trouble sensing hot or cold, tingling "phantom limb" pain in the extremities and other symptoms that may be confused with anything from multiple sclerosis to heart failure. Maybe you shouldn't have: Hit that fried "mystery tropical fish" eating contest at that Margaritaville in that tropical location with your buddies. To minimize your risk of catching this seriously unfun bug, make sure you know what your fish is and if possible, where it came from. Larger fish from shallower waters in a tropical environment are your worst bet. Related: Trouble Brewing For The FDA. And, Sushi. Photo via Flickr user alonso_inostrosa (credit:Flickr: alonso_inostrosa)
Listeria(19 of22)
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The range of listeria infection, or listeriosis, lands you somewhere between asymptomatic and dead and can occur from eating or drinking basically anything that was grown, raised or milked.The culprits: Raw or improperly pasteurized dairy products, vegetables grown in contaminated soil (yup, it can live in soil), preserved and smoked meats (can be identified by a slippery or slimy film), canned and raw seafood and fresh fruit. What it feels like: A bad flu, although more serious complications like meningitis can occur in people with weakened immune systems, as well as in young children, pregnant women and the elderly. Maybe you shouldn't have: Eaten all those root vegetables straight from the ground without washing them right after milking your cow. I mean a hippie farmer's life is great, unless your land is rife with listeria. Photo via Flickr user bucklava (credit:Flickr: bucklava)
Staphylococcus(20 of22)
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This is the picnic food poisoning everyone warns you about, especially you, dude who brought the mayo-choked potato salad (try this one instead). The culprits: The bacteria releases its toxins at the comfy incubator that is room temperature food, which gives staph food poisoning its signature cookout-ruining reputation. The worst part? Reheating contaminated food won't kill it off. Actually the worst part is the symptoms.What it feels like: Explosive, and not in a romantic feelings kind of way. Within an hour of ingesting contaminated food, both ends will be entirely occupied for up to a day. The good news is, once it's out, it's out and you can get right back to the picnic. Oh wait, it's over. Maybe you shouldn't have: Microwaved that leftover potato salad thinking no bug could possibly survive the ordeal.Photo via Flickr user stu_spivack (credit:Flickr: stu_spivack)
Salmonella(21 of22)
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The bacteria that causes salmonellosis, or salmonella poisoning, has a serious reputation among poultry and their handlers, and BOY does it love hanging out on the stretches of counter you missed with the sanitizer.The culprits: Although eggs, processed chicken parts and other raw meat are particularly good at spreading the bacteria, pet reptiles and rodents are also carriers. Wash everything any dead or live animal comes in contact with and maybe don't allow live animals in the kitchen while you're cooking, period.What it feels like: Your small intestine betraying you entirely. Expect a week or so of your typical diarrhea, abdominal cramps and possibly a fever.Maybe you shouldn't have: Attempted your own Japanese-style chicken breast sashimi or let Shelly the turtle roam around willy-nilly on the cutting board. Especially before slicing said chicken sashimi.Photo via Flickr user Casper Jen (credit:Flickr: Casper Jen)
Shigellosis(22 of22)
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Similar to salmonella but yet so very different is shigella, which attacks the large intestine rather than the small. The culprit: You're going to love this -- human waste. While plenty of food-borne illness can be spread this way, particularly by catching a ride in food or water, many cases of shigellosis can be directly attributed to contact with... well, you know. It can also be resistant to antibiotics, so definitely practice safe sewage-wading.What it feels like: Salmonella, only with more blood.Maybe you shouldn't have: Taken on that blackout drunken dare to see what's really under that manhole by the creek, then gone straight to In-N Out. Just maybe. We live in a developed nation, you almost have to try to get this one. It's Darwinism, people.Photo via Flickr user Nathan Reading (credit:Flickr: Nathan Reading)
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